Are you one of the people who buy dresses for £200 +

[listsandbudgets]

Who are these people?

I need a dress for an important occasion and as I had nothing suitable to wear I went hunting through charity shops. After a couple of hours and a lot of shops, I admitted defeat and headed for the proper shops. I budgeted a maximum of £100 which I hoped was generous.. Almost nothing that was suitable, my size and I liked seemed to be less than £125 A lot of them were £200 plus.

I finally fell in love with a £199 dress thankfully reduced to £79. The lovely sales assistant told me that it was the last one of that line and hadn't sold as it was an unusual size (20 ). The rest had gone at the full price.

So are you one of those people and do you really feel the dresses are worth what you paid? Perhaps I'm just tight with money and need to accept taht this is the price of a nice dress now.

[pippinleaf]

My wedding dress cost £600 and I wobbled over that. There is no way I would spend more than £80 on a dress and I'd feel bad about spending that and I'm on a good salary. I'm just not that I to clothes though. I'll happily spend £80 on knitting wool.

[listsandbudgets]

(sorry meant to put this in chat don't know how it ended up here)

[bellarations]

In your circumstances, of attending something important or special, yes and without feeling it was that expensive if it made me feel food.
Otoh if I saw a dress in a charity shop for a £1 and it made me feel good I'd be just as happy.

[OublietteBravo]

I'd certainly spend £200+ on a dress for work (although most of mine are more around the £180 mark). For a special occasion -probably not (unless I knew I'd get lots of wear out of it).

[bellarations]

If course food should be good.

[saintsandpoets]

I am one of these people. Clothes are my luxury.

[QuintsBombWithAWiew]

No I am not.

I hate clothes. I have to wear them, though. But would never spend a lot.

[rookiemater]

No, not me.

When I'm in Coast or Jigsaw or Hobbs, I always wonder who has the money to spend £150+ on a dress that you wear once.

I remember even feeling the same pre DC when I was in my early 30s and in the higher tax bracket ( halycon days) and a dress size smaller than I am today.
I guess it must be about priorities. I would pay £150+ for a good winter coat or £100+ for boots, but that's because I know I'm going to wear them many, many times. Even then I need to buy in the sales from the shops I like.
Am going through a similar dilemma for works do christmas outfit. I know I need to get something, but my lifestyle means it won't be worn again, oh and our boss on his humungous salary has decided it would be fun to incorprorate tartan into our outfits, which makes it a bit limiting. I'm tempted just to wear my all purpose Phase Eight black shift dress with tartan tights.

[Bogeyface]

It depends on whether I could afford it or not. If it would mean serious saving up or a battering of the budget then no, no even is that important. If I could buy it without a shred of concern on the bank account then I probably would.

As it is, I am definitely too poor to buy a £200 dress even if I did save up, so its a moot point!

[WineWineWine]

Not a chance!
£50 is my limit, and that would have to be pretty exceptional!

[SoldeInvierno]

yes, mostly work dresses

[MargaretoftheSavoy]

I would rather buy something really nice that I will wear a hundred times and feel happy in it than scrimp and not really be that keen on it.

Having said that, lots of expensive dresses in the high street are awful quality and I have several dresses which I love and have lasted and cost a lot less than £200.

[DidoTheDodo]

No not me.
Maybe if I felt I'd look fabulous in it I'd be more inclined, but I could never justify spending that much on a dress for any occasion. (My wedding dress was £60)

[CaptainAnkles]

I think the most I've ever spent on a dress was £80. I couldn't justify spending amounts in the hundreds on clothing.

[angeltulips]

I am.

I can afford it and I prefer plainer, simpler styles which I find often - not always - look better in better quality material which you often - not always - find at higher price points.

I very rarely buy things I only wear once so I don't see the problem.

[uncannyvalley]

I have spent 200 and I have spent 400. Actually, come to think of it, I have spent 800 on a skirt.

I am that person.

Did you want to ask me something?

[listsandbudgets]

Yes Uncannyvally - can I take your credit card out for the day?

[uncannyvalley]

I don't use a credit card - I have no debt at all.

You can rifle through my hand-me-downs if you like

[slug]

I have two dresses that cost between £120 and £150. Both are a German designer and both were on sale. They are incredibly comfortable and wearable. I wore one today. During the winter they are worn with weekly regularity. But they both required major arm twisting from DH before I unclenched enough to buy them.

I have four rules for dress buying. They must be at least 3 of the following:

Have sleeves
Do not need ironing
Have pockets
Be on sale

[listsandbudgets]

I'll be round in the morning uncannyvalley :) I don't have any debt either thankfully.

[bigbluestars]

God no. I never spend much on clothes at all- mostly charity shops. I doo spend a lot of time staying in shape though- 5 hours at the gym at least a week and I watch what I eat. It means I can throw on any size 10 dress and it usually looks good.

[Mrsgrumble]

About 100 is my limit, even for a family wedding.

[Ragwort]

No - I used to work in the 'fashion industry' and it put me off for life . So shallow and so many clothes are made in third world countries where people are paid a pittance. .

I only buy from charity shops - and yes, probably some of the things I buy are designer lines and have been made in unethical conditions so I agree I am being a bit hypocritical. However, I do get some lovely clothes and end up spending very little .............. I could afford to spend more on clothes but just have other priorities for my spending.

[uncannyvalley]

I wish I could say they are all 'investment pieces' that will last forever, but I have to say, money doesn't always buy quality. I have paid a lot and had stuff fall apart.

I get my handbags off ebay secondhand though.